I try to be cool, but it just doesn't work.

Last Thursday was my first day of clinicals in my nurse practitioner program. This was an important day, my first encounter with the professional I'll be working with all semester, seeing and treating patients. And I wanted to make a good impression.

So I wore make-up.

Now you have to understand, I rarely wear make-up. Sometime since Bob and I started dating, I became more comfortable with myself and lost the need to cover up my imperfections. Love changes you like that. But that's a different post.

The point is-I just don't wear make-up that often. I used to, so I have a little routine and I'm comfortable putting it on. But, you see, I got a new mascara for the wedding a few months ago, and I haven't used it since until last Thursday.

This mascara is a little different. First you put on this white protein layer, let it dry, then put on a dark layer. The first layer is supposed to make your lashes longer, somehow.

So I got dressed up in my new professional clothes, put on some make-up, took my coffee mug in hand and headed out the door.

And the day was busy. We hopped from room to room, seeing all kinds of patients. My mind was reeling from all the new knowledge I was absorbing. Finally, at noon, I went to the bathroom. And I looked in the mirror.

And my eyelashes were white.

In a split second, my mind was racing with the possibilities as to what might make my eyelashes turn such an unnatural color. And it quickly hit me--I had never put on the darker layer of my mascara.

Now what? I can't get it off--I need mascara remover. I didn't want to leave the bathroom and look stupid--it is my first day! Have I already been looking stupid all morning? It wasn't tremendously noticable if you weren't looking right at me...but surely someone had and wondered what strange albino condition I had that made my hair and eyebrowns dark brown and my eyelashes white.

Sigh. And this is what I get for painting myself up.

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." 1 Pet. 3:3